


flower dance

by Bleutea



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Action, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Mild Gore, Politics, Violence, inspired by boca zombie ver, joseon era, zombies but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29594196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleutea/pseuds/Bleutea
Summary: “Then who was responsible for this?!” Minji wrenched her clothing free and took a step back.“How should I know?!”“Then find out, high scholar.” Bora said between clenched teeth.
Relationships: Kim Bora | SuA/Kim Minji | JiU, Kim Yoohyeon & Lee Yubin | Dami, Lee Gahyeon/Lee Siyeon
Comments: 15
Kudos: 32
Collections: DreamCatcher Enemies To Lovers Ficfest 2k21





	flower dance

“That’s the last of ‘em, captain.” A young warrior said to another that was wearing a red headband, signifying her rank. The warrior pulled her sword out of the body it was embedded in, making a sickening squelch as she did. 

“This is so gross...” Another warrior with bright pink hair said as she covered her nose. The smell of dead bodies surrounding them was making her nauseous. 

“Let’s go. And Hyeon, get used to it. It’s what you signed up for.” The captain flicked her sword to the side to get rid of the excess blood. 

“Yes captain...” Gahyeon muttered before kicking the dirt behind her. The three warriors grouped up where their horses were tied and got on the saddles. 

“Ah, Bin, did you get the stones?” The blue-haired warrior nodded and handed the captain a small, brown sack. 

“It’s not much.” The captain shook the bag in her hand, disappointed that it didn't weigh much at all. 

“Oh well. Job well done kids. Let’s head back for supper.”

\--

Bora sighed in relief at finally getting back to the barracks and being able to get rid of her battle garments. She hated days like this the most, when they were sent on missions to put down warriors that have decayed to the point of no return. They were people that she fought alongside with, ate at the table with, had a drink with. And now, she had to bring the newbie to one of these grueling cleanups. On the bright side, Gahyeon seemed to take it rather well, despite everything. 

Coins jingled in her pouch, reminding her of the dirt pay they received for bringing back meager stones. But what could Bora have done? Those warriors had nothing in them and her squad was just doing their job. Her blood still boiled when she remembered the snickers her squad got for bringing back pebbles. 

Bora brushed it off quickly. She really needed a bath and maybe a few barrels of ale to cool off for the night. She opened her room door, situated next to her two squadmates’ shared room and threw her outer armor in the hamper. She removed the red headband and untied her bun, releasing her long hair from its daily confines. 

“Hi.” Bora immediately drew her sword in the direction of the voice. On the other end of her blade was an innocent face with an innocent smile. The stranger had a youthful look to her, probably even around Bora’s age. Her attire however, told Bora that this stranger was nothing like her. In fact, the stranger was wearing long, intricate robes and a gat, indicating their high status. The green silk of their clothing shimmered when it reflected against the moonlight. However, it wasn’t just any robe, it was adorned with leaf patterns that only a house of high status wore. 

Bora narrowed her eyes. “What is a scholar doing in my room?” She’d recognize those leaves anywhere, even if it had been many years since she last encountered them. This one belonged to the Court.

“High scholar, actually.” The stranger quipped with a bright smile. Bora inched her sword closer to the scholar’s neck. It was suspicious that she did not sense this woman inside her room nor did any other warrior comment on a scholar visiting today. Someone in flashy green silk was sure to be noticed, much less someone with direct communications to the Emperor himself.

“Why is someone like you even here?”

“What, I can’t be here?” The scholar tilted her head innocently though Bora easily saw the mischief brewing in her eyes. 

“People like you wouldn’t dare go near the warriors’ barracks.”

The scholar’s smile widened. “Well maybe I dared.” Bora regarded her a little longer before finally withdrawing her sword. She’d get the death sentence if she killed a scholar - not that she wasn’t already on a death sentence anyways. 

“What do you want?”

The scholar stood up and pulled a scroll out of her robes. It was affixed with the seal of the Emperor on it. She handed Bora the scroll before stepping back. Bora, entirely suspicious of this whole arrangement, debated on throwing the scroll on the scholar’s head and then making a run for it. This had to be some sort of joke. Maybe one of the other squads put this together to trick her into doing something illegal.

It was silent as the two women stared each other down.

Then Bora threw the scroll, hitting the scholar square on the head, flattening her gat in the process. The warrior pushed the window open before jumping over the edge. She landed on her feet easily, as there were only three floors to jump from. 

“Ow-hey!” Bora saw the scholar holding her head while looking down at her. Bora scoffed before running off. 

_ What a joke. Does she take me for a fool? _

\--

“Is this place even real?” Gahyeon whispered as Yubin and Bora walked in front of her. When she woke up this morning with her captain sleeping on her floor, she knew something wasn’t right. Turned out her nifty sixth sense was on the nose. 

“Why are ya whisperin’?” Yubin whispered back, influenced by Gahyeon and slightly intimidated by all the gold decorating the palace. Even the floors were polished to the point where she could see her own reflection. Briefly, she wondered if she needed another shower to avoid making even the air dirty. However, she also spotted several servants within the shadows of the palace with rags in hand. Their faces could not be described as anything other than sunken. Even though she could clearly tell that they were human, they moved as though they were decayed. She turned forward, unable to look at how miserable they seemed to be. 

“Why are you whispering back?!” Gahyeon responded while hunching her shoulders as if that would help lessen her presence. The halls were wide with tall columns so it was practically impossible to hide anywhere. Not only that but the halls were deathly silent. The only noises that could be heard were their footsteps and the rhythmic clack of Gahyeon’s cane.

Lacking sleep and a good stretch, Bora irritably slammed her hands on both her squadmates’ head to get them to be quiet. The attendant that was leading them to who knows where gave them strange looks. Bora just glared back. 

“Are you going to tell us where we are going?” Bora asked gruffly. The attendant stopped in front of two golden doors. He bowed and opened the door without responding to her inquiry. 

The chamber inside was just as wide and tall as the palace halls. The columns were red with intricate jewels rotating off a circular moving wire. Bora could easily make out the jewels representing the sun and the moon but she did not recognize the others. Further down the chamber were three levels of wooden round desks with high chairs placed behind them. 

“It’s a courtroom.” Yubin breathed, awed by the sight she had only ever seen in black and white paintings. “It’s the Hwa courtroom, used only by scholars for trials.”

The trio stepped inside as the attendants closed the door behind them. The chamber was fairly dark, save for the center ring. The roof above was carved out so that the sunlight could come in. The three warriors awkwardly stood on the side, not sure what they should be doing. 

Then they heard people filing in from the other side. Scholars and high scholars began to fill the seats above, leaving the center seat empty. The scholars looked at the out-of-place warriors with disdain but not much else. Gahyeon even stuck her tongue out at them when they weren’t looking. Yubin’s eyes were just darting all over the place, soaking in the environment. 

Bora noticed that many scholars had very young faces, probably newly inducted into scholarship. She felt a miniscule of pity for them. Being a scholar was nothing great. 

“Please come to the center.” A scholar with bright yellow hair gestured to the center ring. Bora glared around, noticing some other elite warriors on the outer edge. They must’ve come for security, meaning Bora was not likely to escape that easily. 

The captain cautiously approached the center with her team following close behind. She knew that they haven’t done anything wrong to be called here for a trial. The only thing she can think of was that weird scholar that was in her room last night. She was still thinking about whether that was real or a figment of her very tired imagination. 

It was then that another person entered from the back door. Silk green robes came up from behind the dais first before an innocent face appeared. The high scholar took her place in the center seat, smiling brightly at Bora. Bora glared back, not caring that she appeared to be disrespectful to the scholars. 

“Why are we here? We have work to do-”

“Well now your work has changed.” The high scholar interrupted. Her voice was like sweet honey but Bora knew better than to trust someone that reminded her of a fox. “We require your squad for a special job.”

“What kind of job?” Bora crossed her arms, not liking where this was going. Being the bodyguard of a scholar can only mean one thing. 

“To gather information.”

She knew it. “And if we refuse?”

The high scholar’s lips quirked while the other scholars looked off-put. “Then you may speak to the Emperor about your refusal.” She pulled out the same scroll Bora saw last night and placed it on the table in front of her. The shiny red seal of the Emperor’s crest shone in the sunlight as if to mock Bora’s predicament. The high scholar’s smug smile made Bora want to just grab the scroll and hit her on the head again. However, she had to play her cards right.

“Fine, but only I will be joining this job. The other two will not.” Bora spoke through gritted teeth. If she was going to hell then she can at least spare the kids. She felt Gahyeon’s hand grabbing onto her pinky and Yubin leaning closer to her in apprehension. 

“Unfortunately, you cannot. Two other scholars will be joining and we require at least one warrior per person.”

“Then why don’t you just get one of these men standing here?” Bora swung her arm in a wide arc to point out the elite warriors lining the walls. Her left eye twitched in irritation when the high scholar giggled. God, that woman was really getting on her nerves. 

“You know they only take direct orders from the Emperor. I expect to see the three of you at the barracks at noon. Do not be late.”

\--

Bora unsheathed her short sword to check for kinks. It wasn’t as sharp as she’d like it to be, so she sat down in front of the whetstone and began sharpening her sword. Gahyeon picked out the sturdiest looking gloves she could find and slipped them on, satisfied with the way they felt on her skin. 

“Hyeon, get a sword or a dagger.” Bora said without looking away from her sword. Gahyeon pouted at her back even though she couldn’t see. 

“But it’s heavy!” She whined as she slammed her cane down.

“Doesn’t matter. You never know what’s going to happen out there. It could save your life.” 

Gahyeon pouted even more. 

“Three….two….one.” Bora counted down, causing Gahyeon to scramble for a dagger. Even though the dagger was small, it felt clunky and out of place on her thigh. It was also obstructing her ability to use her walking cane a bit but it was better than a full length sword and it was definitely better than Bora scolding her. 

Yubin chuckled as she roughly swatted Gahyeon’s hair. She went to the other end of the room to find more arrows for her trusty bow. “You already know that captain is strict ‘bout that, Hyeon.”

Gahyeon sat down in front of the whetstone to assist with the rotary. “Captain never yells at you, Bin...” the youngest sulked. 

“Cause I actually listen.” Yubin quipped, attaching two daggers on the back of her belt. “Everythin’ okay, cap?” she asked when she noticed how quiet Bora was being. 

“Hm? Yeah.” Bora responded absentmindedly. Gahyeon and Yubin shared a concerned look. Their captain was never one to let her mind wander. She used to scold them both to keep focus at all times, in case of an attack. The two youngest shared a look.

“Look, Bin and I will be fine.” Gahyeon placed her hand on top of Bora’s, stopping her movements. “We’ve got the best captain to back us up if anything happens.” Bora looked up between the two, assessing them. They’ve grown a lot from the little runts she used to deal with in training. 

Bora finally let out a small smirk. “I know.” She stood up once her sword was sharpened to her satisfaction, sheathing it in resolution. “Let’s go.”

As soon as they stepped out into the sunlight, they were met with the high scholar and two other scholars. The warriors recognized them to be the ones to sit beside the high scholar back in the chamber. One of them had bright blonde hair with dark blue silk robes. The other was the tallest between them all with brown hair and beige robes adoring her body. 

The high scholar stepped forward first to introduce herself. “I’m Kim Minji, the high scholar assigned for this expedition. This is Lee Siyeon,” She pointed to the blonde haired woman, “and this is Kim Yoohyeon. They are my apprentices and will be joining us.”

“I am the captain of the squad, Kim Bora. Lee Yubin and Lee Gahyeon are my squadmates.” Bora was sort of irked that the scholars were taller than they were. She didn't like having to crane her neck up to meet the eyes of the high scholar’s mischievous ones. But this wasn’t the time to show her disdain, because a crowd was starting to form around them. 

Other warriors were curious as to why scholars were in their training field with the three smallest warriors of the platoon. One burly man stepped out of the crowd. He was the leader of the entire platoon and he was someone Bora hated taking orders from. 

“Oi! To what do we owe the pleasure of havin’ three scholars on our territory?” He asked, completely ignoring Bora, Yubin, and Gahyeon. He was a foul-smelling man with breath that could probably kill plants. His overgrown beard and tall stature made him look like a mountain bear. 

Yoohyeon couldn’t hide her grimace and scooted behind Siyeon for protection. She didn't like it when people got up in her face. Minji, however, kept calm, though her smile lessened a bit. “We were just picking up our latest additions to our expedition.”

“What, with the Tiny Squad?” he guffawed loudly, causing other warriors watching the exchange to do the same. He turned over to Bora at last. “Good for ya! Ya can finally get paid more than scraps!”

Bora said nothing and only glared. That didn't stop him from laughing nor did it stop him from suggesting to Minji about changing out the squad for a more “capable” one. “Ya got a tiny captain, a street rat, and a cripple. Don’t ya want someone with more muscle?”

“No, thank you. I think I’ll try my luck with these three.” Minji tipped her head in that typical scholar fashion to show her manners. The other two scholars did the same before following her exit. Bora and Yubin followed shortly after, with Gahyeon sticking out her tongue at the commander one last time. 

\--

The six of them settled into the carriage, facing each other. It was extremely awkward so Yubin just turned her head to look outside the small opening. Gahyeon, on the other hand, was very curious about the blonde woman sitting in front of her. She has never been so close to a scholar before nor does she really know what they even do besides ‘gather information’. 

Siyeon was squirming uncomfortably from all the staring so she started pulling at the back of Minji’s hand. The action was obscured by their long sleeves. 

“Where are we going and what do we need to do?” Bora asked with her arms crossed. The action dug her elbows into Gahyeon’s and Yubin’s ribs on either side, making them grimace. 

“Oh? Are you finally going to listen to my orders?” Minji teased with a coy smile on her lips. Bora narrowed her eyes in warning, daring the taller woman to say more. 

“Jokes aside, we are heading to the Jindo wall. The village just outside of it got ravaged by the decayed. Last we heard, the provisional army placed there has been holding down the fort.” 

“The decayed? How did so many appear in one place?” Bora furrowed her eyebrows. Normally, a warrior showed very obvious symptoms when they were about to decay and they would be put down in the swiftest manner possible. It was very rare to have so many decay at the same time and at the same place. 

Yubin suddenly whipped her head toward the window. “Stop!” The carriage rider stopped the horses abruptly, causing the occupants to jerk around from the sudden movement. The blue haired warrior opened the door and rushed out. The other two warriors followed her out. 

“Bin, what do you see?” Bora asked as she unsheathed her long sword and her short sword. 

“A group of nine decayed are headin’ this way. I think they could smell us.” Yubin scanned the horizon with irises that shimmered like a stone they are intimately familiar with.

“How many kilometers out?”

“‘Bout five.” 

Bora clicked her tongue, not liking how close they were despite the fact that the capital walls were not too far away. How the decayed made it this far was unknown and that was unsettling. “We’ll intercept them further ahead. There should be a river dividing the path.” Yubin nodded. She walked around to the front of the carriage and jumped up the seat and onto the roof. Bora and Gahyeon got back inside and commanded the rider to move. 

As the carriage moved, Minji looked at the two warriors questioningly. “What is going on?”

“Decayed are following our scent. We’ll get rid of them further away from the walls, just in case.”

Yoohyeon glanced toward the roof with worry. “Isn’t it dangerous for her to be up there?”

“Nah, Bin is the best watcher in the kingdom. She can handle this!” Gahyeon grinned. Bora ruffled her pink hair lightly before telling the driver to stop. 

“Bin! You watch over the scholars and give us support! Hyeon and I will go in.” Bora nodded to Yubin, who was situated on the roof with her bow and arrow drawn. 

Gahyeon stepped off the carriage after the captain, but was stopped with a hand on her arm. “Are you going to be alright? What about your leg?” Yoohyeon asked. Though it seemed like she was concerned about the small warrior, she was actually concerned that she wasn’t going to be well-protected. 

“Oh this? Not a problem! My leg has been like this ever since I was born! Hasn’t slowed me down yet.” Gahyeon said cheerfully. She slipped on her gloves and secured them around her wrists.

“They’re goin’ to appear in three...two...one.” Sure enough, a group of decayed warriors pushed through the forest clearing. However, the river was separating the two parties, just as Bora planned. She wanted to see if she could glean any information by looking at their state. They are warriors that she has never met before and the only tell-tale sign that they were even warriors was the glowing bit on some part of their bodies. 

Their flesh was torn up in several places, probably from each other or themselves in a struggle to eat human flesh. Sickly pale skin and white eyes looked at the warriors with hunger. Moans and groans escaped their mouths at every movement, their brains unable to form coherent thoughts anymore. However, like most decayed, these ones still hold onto their weapons as if they were still serving the kingdom. Bora often wondered if they did that out of habit from their human days or if their survival instincts as decayed told them that using a weapon will get them their next meal. She hoped it was the former. 

“Hyeon.” Bora jutted her chin to the left while she turned her body to the right. She trusted that Yubin could handle any that moved out of formation. Gahyeon dropped her cane and held her fists in front of her. 

Without even saying anything to each other, the captain and the pink warrior moved at the same time. Gahyeon ran to the river and used her hand to send up a slash of water. The decayed were blinded for a moment, giving her the opportunity to get close and send a powerful kick to their abdomen. They get sent flying as if a huge boulder just launched from a catapult and straight at them. Another decayed managed to dodge her and swung his sword down when she was vulnerable. The pink haired girl brought up her clothed arm in defense. A loud clash of metal to metal rang out before she tossed his sword away and kicked him, ending his life the moment he hit a tree trunk. 

With her side of enemies defeated, she looked to her captain, who instantly cut down four decayed men without even breaking a sweat.  _ As expected of captain Bora _ , Gahyeon thought proudly. 

An arrow whizzed right past her ear, hitting the decayed in the shoulder. Gahyeon blinked in surprise before turning to look at Yubin on the roof. She had forgotten that there was one more left. Good thing she had Yubin to watch her back. 

Bora noticed the last one as well and slabbed her sword into his stomach. He screamed out in pain from the blade and the arrow embedded into his shoulder. Gahyeon gave him a kick to his back, sending straight across the river and right in front of the open carriage. The driver screamed, scaring the horses but nobody paid him any mind. Bora and Gahyeon made their way back with grime and dirt on their faces but they were otherwise unharmed. 

The captain slammed her foot on the decayed’s back, knowing that he didn't die from that kick. She sheathed her long sword and used that hand to grip the decayed’s hair to pull his head up. He groaned from all the open wounds on his body. 

Bora looked up to meet Minji’s eyes in a challenging manner. “Well,  _ high scholar _ , do your job.” For once, the high scholar wasn’t smiling. Instead, Minji’s jaw was rigid. She made eye contact with unnatural white eyes before flickering back to the captain. 

She pulled a white notebook from the sleeves of her robes. The book opened by itself in her hand and flipped several pages until it landed on a blank. A bright glow emitted from the book, traveling outwards to the decayed’s head. Ink began to appear on the blank pages until it abruptly stopped. 

“He’s dead.” Yubin hopped off the roof and pulled out her hunting knife. Bora let her foot off the body to allow Yubin to turn him over. The three warriors observed his clothing for a moment, trying to determine which army he came from. Unsatisfied with what they saw, Yubin used her knife to tear one of his pant legs off. She stabbed her knife into his thigh without hesitation, carving out a circle shape and peeled off the skin. 

Yoohyeon and Siyeon were horrified, turning away and covering their ears from the wet sound of blood and flesh tearing apart. Minji, however, kept her gaze on the blue warrior with interest. Yubin pulled out the precious stone embedded in dead flesh in record time. It was midsize and glinted in the sunlight from all angles. All the colors of the rainbow were reflecting on this mostly white stone. 

“Orichalcum.” Minji stated rather than asked. Yubin passed the stone to Gahyeon, who already had a brown bag opened. 

“Yes. It’s part of our job to harvest back what we can from the decayed.” Gahyeon made to move to the river where the other dead decayed but Yubin stopped her with an arm. 

She shook her head, her ponytail following the movement. “Don’t bother. They were bitten by this one.” She nudged her foot down at the dead body. 

Bora sighed at the mess. “Let’s get cleaned up and get moving. More decayed could appear by nightfall so we need to get into a village.” She picked up Gahyeon’s cane and handed it back to her. Minji realized belatedly that Gahyeon had been fighting without the help of her cane. Not to mention her extreme strength she showed with her kicks. 

As if her strings had been cut, Gahyeon leaned tiredly on her cane, her bad leg resting against the wood. Bora led her back to the carriage, making sure she was comfortably seated before going back to the river. 

Before long, Bora and Yubin returned with clean hands and faces. There was nothing they could do about the clothes but at least it wasn’t much blood. They sat back inside the carriage, not caring about the strange atmosphere inside. Bora reached over to Gahyeon’s face with a wet cloth to help her get cleaned up. 

Their journey continued with suffocating silence. The two younger scholars were deeply disturbed by what they saw while Minji was just intrigued. The warriors didn’t really care about what the scholars thought of them. This was what their jobs consisted of. It was grueling but someone had to do it. 

They don’t quite make it to Jindo just yet due to the delay but they do make it to a nearby village by the first sign of nightfall. Yubin stepped out first, sniffing her surroundings slightly. 

“It stinks.” She said, turning back around to face the others. Yoohyeon gasped at the rainbow in the warrior’s irises. 

“It really does.” Gahyeon blocked her nose from the offending noise. 

Bora glanced around, seeing that the streets were mostly deserted. “It stinks a little too much. The smell might be masking nearby decayed.”

“Should we leave?” For the first time since their trip started, Siyeon spoke up. Her voice was raspy, though not from disuse. Gahyeon blinked several times to make sure she heard correctly. 

Minji weighed her options. The horses were probably very tired from the long trip. Any more pushing could kill them and that was the last thing they needed. On the other hand, she could tell that the warriors were looking more and more inclined to leave the more they looked around. Even Minji could see that this village was not the best place to be sleeping. It was dark with no torches to light the dirt roads. There was also no one milling about to receive them. Worst of all, there was that disgusting stench filling the air. 

“We’re leaving.” Bora decided. She looked to the side to see the moon starting to appear. 

The driver disagreed. “But the horses won’t be able to survive to the next town! It’s too dangerous!”

“Cap, no one’s here.” Yubin reached behind her to put out an arrow and notched it on her bow, keeping her stance low. “There ain’t no smell of humans here. The village is empty.”

“Not even bodies?” Gahyeon asked as she pulled out her dagger from her sheath. 

“None.” Bora nodded and ushered everyone back inside the carriage. Even the driver was spooked enough to get the horses moving despite his reservations. He just wanted to live and get his pay for this job. 

“Where are we going to be able to stop for the night? There’s too much ground to cover.” Yoohyeon pulled out a hand drawn map. They were really too far away from the next possible village. Though she didn't think they should consider that one to be better than this one. 

“Driver, turn around and go back to the capital.” Bora commanded. Their best bet was to get back and receive greater support. Something was very wrong and she wasn’t about to risk the safety of her squad. 

She noticed that the quietest scholar was trembling. “Hey.” Siyeon’s head snapped up at being addressed by the scariest looking warrior. “We’ll get you back to the palace.” It wasn’t much but somehow, Siyeon felt herself relax by a fraction. The captain’s face was serious and Siyeon witnessed her skill earlier this afternoon. Bora may be small but she was named captain for a reason. She hoped that they were going to survive the night.

The clouds parted, revealing more moonlight. 

Yubin sniffed again before covering her nose. “There’s a whole horde of ‘em coming from the south.” The decision to leave was the right one, as the south was where they just came from. “Movin’ fast, too.”

“Driver, keep the carriage moving. Don’t stop, no matter what.” The driver nodded rapidly, feeling more scared since he could clearly hear several footsteps following them from the outside. He urged the horses to go a little faster to keep a good distance. 

“Hyeon, stay next to the driver and keep us moving forward.” Gahyeon gave a thumbs up and opened the door. She skillfully climbed out to the driver seat without the help of her cane. 

Yubin stuck her upper body out the window and took aim. Her shot hit its mark from several meters away but there were too many decayed to make a difference. She wordlessly braced her arms onto the roof of the carriage and lifted her whole body out. Now that she was out in the open, she could clearly see and smell more coming. “Cap! More are closing in from all sides!”

Bora huffed. “I knew getting involved with you scholars was nothing but trouble.” She grumbled. Minji just gave her an awkward half-smile. She was feeling a little too apprehensive to make another joke. 

“You better pay us well after we survive this night.”

“If we survive.” Minji emphasized the word ‘if’. 

“We will.” Bora said as she gazed at the full moon. She took a deep breath once she heard Yubin telling her that the decayed were closing in. She drew her short sword in anticipation. Yubin’s hand appeared through the window to help Bora up to the roof. Bora had never seen so many decayed gathered in one place before. Even worse, they seemed to be acting in a very organized fashion to chase them down. 

The scholars held onto the handrails inside the carriage as it jerked around erratically. Before they could protest the rough transport, a decayed grabbed onto the side of the carriage, sticking its head inside the window. The three of them didn't even have the chance to scream before it was pulled away by something. A black cord of sorts passed by the window again, killing a decayed that was running towards the carriage. It was too quick to see clearly but it resembled a heavily corded whip that punishers used.

“Captain, I think you cleared the ones on the side! Only the ones in the back are left!” Gahyeon informed as she grabbed the reins from the driver. She maneuvered the horses as best as she could through a shortcut in a forest. Minji thought she saw a few of those black cords on each side but everything was moving too fast to be sure.

“We’re still a bit too far to rely on the capital’s guards. Sorry kids, it looks like we are going to have to pull an all-nighter.” Bora hung upside down on the side of the carriage, scaring the scholars half to death. “You owe us an explanation and a pay worth all three of your lives, understood?” Bora growled.

Minji nodded rapidly. This whole situation was getting under her and her apprentices’ skin. Bora pulled herself back up and ordered her squad to jump off. Gahyeon thrusted the reins back into the driver’s hands before bidding him goodbye with a grin. 

Bora, Yubin, and Gahyeon stood side by side, bracing for a long night.

\--

The scholars’ quiet time was interrupted by loud noises. An attendant attempted to calm the intruders but they completely ignored him. Minji’s eyes widened when the face of the small captain appeared in the sunlight. Gahyeon and Yubin came in after, with the youngest leaning against her friend. All three had tattered and dirtied clothes but they were  _ alive _ . She would never admit it out loud but she was beyond relieved.

“I’m here to collect.” Bora said. Minji’s eyes darted to Bora’s form, looking for wounds. There were none despite all the cuts in the shorter woman’s robes.

“You...how?” Minji stood up slowly. Bora seemed to run out of patience in that moment because the smaller woman was advancing on the high scholar. When she was right in front of her, she grabbed her robe lapels to bring her down to eye level. 

“You better explain to me what last night was about. Were you deliberately leading us into a death trap?!” The accusation in the captain’s eyes stung Minji. Her life was in danger last night as well. How was she supposed to know that there was a huge horde of decayed laying in wait for them? 

“I did not know either. Otherwise, I would not have put myself or Yoohyeon or Siyeon in danger!” Minji didn't like the way Bora was looking at her. It was dangerous, similar to the way she looked when she killed the decayed by the river. Like Minji was the enemy. 

“Then who was responsible for this?!” Minji wrenched her clothing free and took a step back.

“How should I know?!”

“Then find out,  _ high scholar _ .” Bora said between clenched teeth. Everything just irritated her. Her clothes and skin were diritied from fighting, the kids were forced into a tough situation last night, the sun was too bright right now, the scholars having tea time while her squad struggled to walk all the way back to the walls, and even looking at the high scholar’s face was enough to fan the flames. 

Yoohyeon stood up to stand between the two angry women. “How about you and your squad get cleaned up first and then we can meet again to discuss?” She suggested with her hands raised to show that she meant no harm. Her eyes reminded Bora of a puppy and maybe a little bit of Gahyeon. They were sincere and easy to read, something that Bora could appreciate from the younger woman. Both Minji and Bora felt their anger decrease by a fraction. 

Bora was the first to turn around, beckoning her squad to leave. 

“Wait.” Siyeon pulled Gahyeon’s walking cane out from under the table. She approached them carefully and handed the cane when Gahyeon was within reach. The pink haired warrior took it with a tired smile and a small thanks. The scholar nervously looked away.

When the warriors left their compound, the scholars slouched on their chairs, releasing the pent up tension set in their shoulders. It was unrefined behavior but none of them cared at the moment. They just wanted things to make sense. 

It was then that Minji remembered that she gathered information from a decayed. She quickly pulled out her notebook and set it on the table. Yoohyeon and Siyeon leaned over to look as well. Most of the words were nothing but gibberish, as it usually was when they got information from a decayed. As the name suggested, decayed were no longer cognizant and most of their thoughts were not even coherent thoughts. But sometimes, scholars would find some pieces of information that has stuck to the brains of decayed. Oftentimes, it would be something that the decayed had a deep attachment to before they lost their humanity. 

This one had the words ‘Jindo’ and ‘ori’. The second word was cut off but an educated guess would point to the word being ‘orichalcum’.

“The Emperor sent us on this mission to investigate Jindo, right? He already knew that something was very amiss concerning the decayed.” Yoohyeon pointed out. 

“Are you suggesting that he set us up in a trap? That’s a treasonous line of thought, Yoohyeon.” Siyeon countered. The whole experience spooked her so much that she could not sleep at all. Her eye bags were deep set as her brain couldn’t shut out what she saw, starting from the warriors to the decayed. She never really came close to either before so everything was overwhelming. Both were monstrous, just wearing different skins. 

“The Emperor had a suspicion that someone set something up so he sent me to investigate.” Minji ran a hand over her forehead. “That someone may very well be within the court.” Her apprentices looked at her in horror.

Yoohyeon was the first to recover, her mind already piecing together information. “You knew it was going to be a trap.”

“To some extent, yes.”

“Then what you told the captain earlier was a lie.” Yoohyeon pointed out, referring to Minji saying that she would not have put her or Siyeon in danger if she knew. It was a lie and Yoohyeon was beginning to grow irritated. 

“I couldn’t risk anyone knowing of this. I plan to find out who set this up in the chamber meeting today. They probably won’t expect me to still be alive.” The taller woman narrowed her eyes at her master’s explanation. Minji never led her or Siyeon astray, even if her teaching methods were a bit unconventional, but this was different. Minji also never hid anything from them both so this made Yoohyeon feel a certain discomfort. 

What else was Minji hiding from them?

\--

Minji sat down in between two other chamber members when the Emperor and the Empress made their appearance. They sat high above the rest on their thrones. The steps were a small distance away from the long table that the other members sat at but, it was enough to station guards right at the foot in case someone tried to attack. The chamber itself was not grand, as this one was for meetings between all the important advisors of the Emperor. It would not do for an assassin to find them in an obvious place like the throne room and kill them all in one swoop.

The ceiling was low and the lighting was kept dim, giving the room a reddish glow. The Emperor sat behind a screen, showing only his silhouette but never his face. In fact, no one really knew what he looked like except for the Empress. The Empress was seated beside him but without the protection of the screen. She appeared to be young, almost as if she were Minji’s age. The intricate head piece adorning her head, all shining in golds and rainbows, did nothing to hide her otherworldly beauty. She always presided over these meetings with her husband but Minji had been in these long enough to know that the Empress made no decisions whatsoever. 

The high scholar twiddled her thumbs under her robes as she waited for the meeting to start. People began taking their seats around the table. Minji’s eyes darted around each face, trying to potentially connect them to the events of Jindo. It wasn’t until the Minister of Dagon sat down did Minji finally see something. His old, beady eyes flashed with surprise at her appearance for a brief moment before settling back into its usual haughtiness.

“Let us begin.” The Emperor started the meeting. Each minister of the surrounding states gave updates to their internal affairs and other relevant information about their enemies. Nowadays, more and more foreign soldiers were lurking around some of the border states. 

“We respectfully request more soldiers and warriors on the frontier. There has been an increased presence of foreigners. They don’t appear to be making any moves yet but my scouts tell me that they are making a foothold deep in the mountains.” The Minister of Seon recounted. He was a tall, burly man that definitely represented the lifestyle of those in Seon. 

Seon was indeed the one most susceptible to danger as it was the smallest of the five states connected to the capital. It hardly had any military presence, owing to its long history of hunters settling in that land. They thought that the hunters were enough but their enemies proved to be a far greater threat. 

“Well maybe if you’d increase the taxes there, you could afford more soldiers and weapons.” Another minister Minji recognized to be for the state of Taesan spoke with disdain in his voice. 

The Minister of Seon glared at his counterpart, irritation building up from how many times they’ve had this conversation. “Raising the taxes would destroy the people’s livelihoods. How do you expect them to afford goods on meager pay?”

The Minister of Taesan simply tapped his glasses and raised his chin. He was young as well, Minji being the only one younger than him. “As unfortunate as that is, it is the most logical decision. War may be upon your lands and then the capital. If it comes to that, it will be all your fault.”

“Perhaps we should _ trade  _ places and see if your little tax plan will work.” Seon’s minister gritted through his teeth. It was obvious that he was taking a jab at Taesan’s golden status in the kingdom. The sea state was heavily funded by the capital, from military to goods, Taesan received all the money they needed and more. It was deemed as an important state due to the educational institutions as well as the wealth of knowledge that was kept there. All scholars, including Minji, came from Taesan or learned from there at least once in their lives. But as a result of being spoon-fed, most citizens of Taesan believed they were a cut above the rest. They never had to really work for anything, nor were they in a position to be attacked in war. The strait leading into the port state was heavily guarded, almost as much as the imperial palace itself. 

“Oho? Is little Taesan finally getting a real man’s job?” This time, the Minister of Hwa teased the young minister. She was the only woman among the ministers, always holding a fancy fan that she said she got from the west. It had purple feathers attached to the top of each fan, making it look more colorful and gaudy. It matched her coy personality and smiles that hide a million secrets.

Minji sighed to herself. Arguments like these were a common occurrence and she hated wasting her time. The Emperor shared her sentiments because he raised his hand, immediately stopping all voices. 

“More soldiers will be allocated to Seon.” The minister bowed in thanks while sending a hateful look to the minister of Taesan. “Now then, Minister Oh, explain what happened in Jindo.”

A bald minister shot up, frightened to be called on so suddenly. He put his napkin that he was using to wipe the sweat from the top of his head away. The Minister of Oh, which the small village of Jindo was under the jurisdiction of, glanced around nervously before clearing his throat. “I - I don’t know how so many d-d-decayed appeared so quickly...” His raspy voice stuttered. The other ministers turned their eyes to him with interest. The fast wipeout of Jindo was a shock to those that knew about it. It seemed like they had more than outside enemies to deal with.

“Explain from the beginning.” Minji said, taking out her notebook and flipping to a blank page. 

“Th-there is not much to say. The- the warriors suddenly decayed overnight before anyone could inform me. They did not even show any symptoms!”

The pages of Minji’s notebook began to fill themselves, capturing every last detail.

\--

When the meeting was finally over, Minji watched as the ministers were led by the guards to their resting places for the day. They would depart for their governing states tomorrow, much to the relief of the high scholar. 

She was left alone with the Emperor, the Empress, and the royal guards. 

“What have you found so far?” The Emperor’s deep voice filled Minji’s ears after a bout of silence. 

She contemplated what to say. The information she had so far did not fit together like a seamless puzzle, though she had her own hypotheses on how to fill the gaps. “It is as Minister Oh said. Many decayed appeared at once. Had it not been for my hired help, I might not even be here today.” Minji reported, keeping her gaze steady on the silhouette. From the corner of her eye, she could see the Empress staring at her with interest. 

“Find out who is behind this, Gou, and bring them to me.”

“As you wish.”

\--

If Bora could choose to be anywhere in the world right now, right here would not be it. In front of her sat the smiling high scholar and she just knew that this was going to be a bad day. 

“You already read my letter, yes?” Bora begrudgingly nodded her head. The letter arrived in the morning in the barracks. To her complete surprise, her pay was attached, along with a job offer for her entire squad. 

She immediately told Yubin and Gahyeon about the offer, to which both of them were eager to at least see what sort of job it was. Bora was apprehensive, knowing that what happened last night may be a regular occurrence. The last thing she wanted was for the kids to get themselves killed at sixteen and seventeen. But she also understood that they could never achieve their dreams while being stuck in this army that does not respect them as warriors either. 

Thus, here she was, scowling in front of Kim Minji. “What are your terms?” 

Minji smiled serenely. “Better pay, better living conditions, and most of all, you get to work under me!” Bora’s eye twitched at that last one. She almost threw her fists at the woman across from her had it not been for her self-restraint. As much as Minji annoyed her, there was one thing she was curious about the most. 

“Why are you offering this job to us?”

“Do you not want it? Working in the army will only get you so far.” Minji tilted her head, innocence in her tone. 

“There are plenty of squads out there. Why us in particular?” Bora narrowed her eyes. It was something she wondered about since yesterday. They didn’t exactly have a great reputation among the warriors, simply because they were small and seemed ‘weak’ (and women, but no one was going to say that one out loud). Then, did Minji know about her? 

The high scholar grinned and leaned her arm against the table, chin on her palm. “I heard that Team Tiny was pretty good, despite being women. I wanted to see for myself and I did. It’s only logical to hire people that I already confirmed for myself.” Bora scowled at hearing the nickname of her squad. Minji turned to look out to the center of her compound, seeing her apprentices and the other two warriors chatting. Catching the attention of Siyeon and then beckoning them over, she met Bora’s gaze with a troublesome glint.

“Besides, I hear that their captain is quite the looker.” Minji couldn’t resist getting in that last jab. Brown eyes raked down the red robes of the warrior’s body. And before Bora could really commit a crime, the others file in and take a seat, ending the strange conversation. 

“Yoohyeon, bring me a map of the kingdom.” The tall scholar nodded and laid out a detailed map on the table, showing the capital in the center and its five major states surrounding it. Minji pointed to the military state of Dagon first. 

“What happened last night has been deemed a high priority by the Crest, so I have been tasked to investigate and find the perpetrator. I want to hire you three for protection. Of course, I will continue to keep you in my personal service, given that you want to stay after this finishes.” Minji explained to the warriors. 

“And you think the answers can be found here?” Yoohyeon asked, eyes connected to Minji’s finger pointing at Dagon. 

“Specifically, the answer may be the Minister of Dagon.” She revealed. It was supposed to be top secret information, even to her scholars but Minji knew that they needed to know if she were to succeed in her mission. 

“Treason...” Yubin breathed out, shocked that someone so close to the Emperor was potentially betraying him and the kingdom. 

“Indeed. What do you make of this, Siyeon?” The question was directed to the pale woman. Minji didn't bother turning her head, knowing full well that Siyeon was in a state of shock as well. 

“I-I…” The blonde scholar could barely open her mouth, feeling the insides drying out. Sweat was beginning to form on her forehead and her anxiety was building up. “I d-don’t...”

“Know?” Minji finished for her. “I know. You have been in this compound with me for about nine years now. You could not have known.” Siyeon’s head shot up to meet the high scholar’s kind eyes. She felt relieved that Minji did not suspect her for something she did not have a connection to. “That is why you and Yoohyeon will also accompany me. It will be a learning opportunity for you both, and for you to find out the truth.” Siyeon and Yoohyeon shared a look over Minji’s shoulders before nodding.

“So, then, what about you three? Will you join us?” Minji addressed the warriors. To her utter surprise, Gahyeon had a determined look about her. 

“You said that we can still be employed after this, right? And that our pay will be good?” The pink warrior got a confirmation from the oldest. That was all she needed to know. “Then, I’m in.”

“Me too.” Yubin’s deep voice followed right after Gahyeon. It was an opportunity that she couldn’t pass up. She’d rather be on a potentially life threatening journey than go back to the army or worse, the streets. 

“What about you, Captain Kim Bora?” Minji had a relaxed grin on her face again, as if she knew what Bora’s answer was going to be.

The two younger warriors turned to look at their captain with pleading eyes. They wanted this job but they also wanted to be with her the whole way. Glancing between two sets of eyes that resembled puppies asking for treats, Bora sighed. If they really wanted this, she wasn’t going to stop them. In fact, she’ll do everything she can to make sure they live. 

“Alright.” Gahyeon cheered but was silenced by Bora’s hand. “But, you will tell us why you were specifically chosen to carry this mission out. Shouldn’t this be a job for the General or maybe even the Emperor’s Guard?” Bora directed her eyes on the high scholar. 

This time, Minji smiled, teeth showing and all. She reached into her left sleeve and pulled something out, laying it flat on the table. It was a black amulet with a golden etch of the crest of the Emperor on it, superimposed with a mythical Fire Dog. At the top of the amulet was the word ‘Gou’ engraved. 

“There can be no better person for the job than the Emperor’s very own watchdog, right?”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Sigh, yet another fantasy action series...but Jibo this time! :P
> 
> twt: @Bleubub


End file.
